lilo fails, /dev/sda not readable

[Patrick Wiseman <pwiseman@mindspring.com>]

Hello:

I've been away from this list for a while.  Happy New Year to everyone!

I've recently compiled a new kernel, 2.4.22, the "Debian way," but when I
go to install it, lilo bails out with the error:

Fatal: VolumeID read error: sector 0 of /dev/sda not readable

I get the same error when I try to 'downgrade' to the previous
kernel_image, which had successfully installed before.

My lilo.conf makes only a commented reference to /dev/sda, and
boot=/dev/hda.  I have recently acquired a USB Mass Storage device, which
is at /dev/sda1 when mounted, but it's not mounted at the moment.  I had
successfully recompiled and installed a kernel which recognized the
device.  (This latest compilation was to add a wireless PCMCIA card; other
than that I changed nothing.)

My system is 'testing'.  I have version 22.5.8 of lilo.

A Google attempt turned up nothing except a few problems with people
putting the MBR on /dev/sda, which is not my situation.

Hoping someone can help,

Patrick

-- 
Patrick Wiseman                               pwiseman@mindspring.com
Linux user #17943                             *Google First, Ask Later*